The Twelve Days of Christmas
by Texas Longhorn
Summary: Ash and Misty decide to host Christmas at their place this year! How will it go down when they invite May, Drew, Gary, and Dawn? This fic will be updated for the next twelve days straight - into Christmas Eve - so check it out daily and find out! Contains Pokéshipping and Contestshipping.
1. The First Day

**Hey Everybody!**

If you're a fan of my main project, "A New Journey," then I know you're probably screaming at your screen right now concerning the fact I still haven't updated my last chapter after taking a seven month hiatus before the latest chapter on there. Rest assured, though, work is going on. I'm just not satisfied with how it looks, and the fact that this next chapter is soooooo long does not help the situation. Seriously, it's one of my longest chapters yet and I'm considering breaking it up just to spare my life from some of my more…erm, ardent fans. But until then, I provide all of you hungry readers with a peace offering! It's something I came up with myself, and it's called a "Twelve Days of Christmas Challenge." Basically, you have to write a twelve-chaptered fic concerning the Christmas season; with no chapter running over a thousand words (those of you familiar with my work know what a challenge this is for me). So for the next twelve days (through Christmas Eve) I'll be updating this fic once a day. It's a fun little story with all the shipping and friendship you can handle! Enjoy, and review please! And if you like this and aren't a regular reader of mine, head over to my profile to check out some of my other stuff!

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"This was a mistake."

"No it wasn't."

"Yes…yes it was. We were nuts thinking we could pull this off."

"Pika."

"Exactly."

"You don't even know what he said!"

"He agreed with me! Mist, it'll be alright. You need to stop pulling your hair out for nothing."

"For nothing? We've got twelve days till Christmas and three days till guests start showing up and you think that's nothing? What'll your mom think when she finds out I couldn't handle our first Christmas?"

"The same thing she thinks about everything; that it was somehow my fault. She thinks you're an angel, remember?"

"All that'll go flying out the window when she hears what a disaster this all was."

"We've been busy! We just got married a few months ago, after all. And the apartment's barely been unpacked, and the jobs are obviously taking up a lot of time."

"Then we shouldn't have done this."

"…well, yeah, maybe we shouldn't have. I mean, hindsight and all, this was a lot to take on after the year we've had already, but that doesn't mean we're sunk! We've got plenty of time to make this get-together work!"

"I'm just glad she won't be here to witness it firsthand…"

"Will you calm down? We've got plenty of time. You said it yourself!"

"No, Ash. No. We have three days before our first guest arrives, and after that the floodgates shoot wide open."

"Mist, we just have to come up with a strategy."

The redhead rolled her eyes as she backed the wooden chair away from the couple's new dining table. She walked into the immediately-adjacent kitchen and turned on the fluorescent lighting; pouring herself another cup of coffee and giving her new husband a look of exhaustion.

"Hun, I appreciate the enthusiasm, but this isn't a Pokémon battle. You've been spending so much time with the Battle Frontier that I think you're starting to lose it. Not everything can be won with a quick original strategy."

Ash followed her and folded his arms from across the counter. "You don't give Pokémon battles enough credit, Mist. They're very relatable to life, and especially this situation!"

She sighed, looking at the time on the microwave from the corner of her eye. Perfect. Another night that she was up past one.

"We have our backs against the wall now, but if we approach this with open minds, then we can find a weak spot to attack! Now let's look at your list of things to do again."

"Ugh, I really don't wanna," she whined, throwing her head back as she walked around the counter and into Ash's arms, almost falling asleep in his chest. "I'm _so tired_."

"Me and you both," he sighed reluctantly.

The couple had been working overtime in their respective positions; Ash at his new job as the Vermillion City Frontier Brain, and Misty as a low-level assistant to a renowned marine biologist in the city. Neither position paid a great deal, which explained their six hundred foot, two-bedroom apartment, but for the young, newly graduated, newlyweds it was enough.

"I don't know how you're staying so positive about all this," she mumbled, stepping back and taking a hard sip. "Ugh, needs cream."

Ash smiled. "You know I'm your biggest fan. I know you and I can pull this off with some hard work. I don't give up in battles and I'm definitely not giving up on us!"

For the first time in a few hours, Misty cracked a smile. "Well, I'm glad to have a cheerleader." Walking back to the table, she picked up the list and her face fell once again.

"Of course, it would've helped if we could've done some of this earlier."

"Like what?"

"Like the shopping."

"Well, we didn't start pulling steady income till last month, and we were still basically on honeymoon before that. Then we got the place and had to buy furniture…we really haven't had the money for presents until now."

She walked over to their couch facing the television and flopped backward over the arm and onto the cushion. Staring blankly at the ceiling, she shuddered. "But do you realize how bad the shopping's gonna be now? Everyone waits last minute…I'll be lucky if I don't have to call Gyarados out just to find a clerk."

Ash laughed at the thought.

Misty looked over their long-ignored "to do" list once again. "It would also help if I hadn't married someone who's totally helpless in all these departments…"

Amusement quickly turned to insult as the raven-haired trainer shot his wife a pouting glance. "Helpless how?"

"Shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. Honestly, if Pikachu hadn't already shocked you so much I'd be a little worried about letting you do the lights!" She shot him a smug look and carefully took another sip from her awkward position.

His eyes narrowed. "I'm not some helpless moron, Mist. Or do you not remember that we both graduated from the same college?"

"First, I still think you cheated. And second, even if that's true, book smarts have nothing to do with practical stuff like this," she explained, holding up the list. "We're dead, and I'm the only one who can save us from being ridiculed for years to come from our friends."

"Give me that list," he shot, snatching the list from her hands and scanning it over. "I could easily…hmm."

"See? Not so easy, huh?"

"Yeah it is! I just have so many things on here I can do that it's hard for me to choose!"

She rolled her eyes playfully and took another drink. The caffeine's effect was almost null at this point after so many all-nighters in a row, but she was addicted to the idea of coffee; the belief that this bean elixir could somehow sustain her relentless schedule.

"Right here!" he pointed, three rows down the list. "I'll cook!"

"Oh, please," she muttered; knowing all too well the fight she had just provoked.


	2. The Second Day

**Hey Everybody!** Well, let's hope y'all like this one better.

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"Let It Snow" played in the background as Drew sorted through the wads of clothing strewn about the couch.

"Ugh, do you ever clean this place?" he asked, holding up a lone pink sock and giving it an inquisitive stare.

"Oh, ha, ha," May responded sarcastically, her head sticking out of the kitchen. "And you wonder why I don't invite you over for dinner more often?"

He shrugged, tossing the sock aside after being unable to find its match. "I'm just saying. We've got four days to go and this place looks unbelievably unorganized. Frankly, this is the reason I never invite you to my place, either."

Though he couldn't see it, May's jaw dropped at the comment as her temper rose. She threw the shutters between kitchen and living room in her studio apartment open. "Whaddya mean?! You told me it was a mess and you didn't want me to see!"

"Oh! Oh yeah…"

"Don't even try to come up with an excuse now! Ugh, I can't believe I've never even stepped foot in your apartment after we've been together all these years!"

Smirking, he rolled his eyes as she went back to her cooking. Taking a few steps, he walked into the kitchen and kissed the back of her head - startling the brunette, who was intently focused on her stirring. "I'm sorry. That was mean…I guess I still have a flare for our old rivalry every now and then. Anyway, you can see it soon, I promise."

Testily, May exhaled and allowed her temper to burn out. She could never stay mad at him long. "I know. And I know this place is kinda a mess," she admitted motioning to the mountain of dishes in the sink. "Not to mention my roommate's never here since she spends most nights with her boyfriend, so there's no help around here in getting anything done."

"Yeah, I know," Drew answered. He bit his tongue as a sarcastic remark struggled to get out.

_Better to let her dream._

"Well, the good news is that the noodles are almost done," she informed turning around and placing her arms behind his neck. "They shouldn't take more than a few minutes now!"

He smiled back. "I'm glad. You make the best spaghetti and meatballs I've ever tasted! Definitely needed as fuel for the greatest coordinator in Hoenn!"

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. She was beginning to fear she'd never break his competitive nature – though she secretly was glad to find it was so resilient in their rivalry even after all these years of being together. "Thank you. It _is _tough being the greatest.

Before he could respond she cut him off. "Anyway, you could help out with the meatball part of these spaghetti and meatballs if you want. I already have the hamburger meat, onions, and bell peppers out but I need the veggies diced and the meat rolled."

He shook his head. "Sorry honey, but I gotta head out for a few minutes. I have some last minute Christmas shopping to get done before we leave."

May gave her boyfriend a playful stare. "This wouldn't happen to be for a certain necklace I've been ogling the last three months, would it? Because if it is, I'd just like to remind you that it's the diamond-encrusted heart, with the white gold chain."

Suddenly, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled her face close to his. "_White gold_," she muttered with a slightly menacing tone, before pushing him away with a friendly wave and smile.

"Not silver, please!"

_Yikes._

"Try to be back before supper's ready!" she added as he walked to the door and put on his coat. "I love you!"

"Love you too," he answered, giving her a nervous grin before stepping out. She could be a real threat when she wanted.

Walking down the stairs, he reached his car. Pulling out of the parking lot and onto the main road, he thought of how dense May could be sometimes. It was part of her nature, and part of the reason he loved her, but she had a serious habit of underestimating herself.

_She thinks she's just gonna get a necklace after all we've been through together?_ He smirked as he remembered the first time they'd met as kids. Back then she had been just as unaware. _So unsure, so intimidated. _She wasn't much different now. Sure, she was more confident in her skills as a coordinator, but in life she still underestimated the difference she made…but he hadn't.

Reaching the parking lot of the mall, he sighed and began scanning every inch of the concrete jungle for a spot. Finding one relatively near the jewelry store, he gratefully pulled in and briskly walked towards the doors. His mind wandered as he made a quick pace towards the sliding doors. A crush of people passed him both ways – busy parents and happy children all preparing for the season. On both sides of the doors Santa slung his bells back and forth with one hand while the other held a red bucket.

Giving the coated man some money, Drew took a step inside and walked past the glass counters, looking for his desired present.

_Aha._

He waited until an associate appeared, giving the green-haired young man a quick smile.

"Is there something in this case you'd like a better look at?"

Drew shook his head. "No. I know which one I want. That one, in a size six."

The older associate's grin widened as he pulled the item out and observed it. "Quite a beaut. For a special girl?"

Drew blushed. "Yeah…you could say that."

"One sec." The old man stepped over to a counter in the back and unlocked it, looking for the item in the requested size.

_I can't believe I'm about to do this._

"Here's your ring, young man."


	3. The Third Day

**Hey Everybody!** Here's chapter three. Try to enjoy and review, please!

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Checking the alarm system one last time, Gary locked the gym's doors and started back to his small house. On his way, he enjoyed the view of children playing in the newly-fallen Pallet snow and the growing excitement of Christmastime approaching in his old hometown.

He'd only just moved back a few months ago, and didn't plan to stay too long. After all, he was really only back in this small southern town due to job constraints. He'd graduated along with Ash and Misty, but unfortunately Pokémon Researchers didn't get much respect unless they had graduate field experience; which is where Pallet came in. His grandfather was more than happy to provide him a job as an official assistant to help boost his résumé, but in order to get it he had to move back home and help Oak in his research on Pokémon evolution.

It wasn't bad work or pay, but Gary was feeling a little restless. All his friends were off in big cities with big plans, and he was stuck back home doing gym leader work part-time for extra money. Fortunately, his grandfather's friend was kind enough to rent him his house for a year while he was in Johto on long-term business. Gary would have refused the job if it meant he would have had to move back in with his grandfather. At least the rented house allowed him some semblance of a feeling of growing up.

Getting inside the small suburban dwelling, he kicked off his shoes and walked to his bedroom, where the suitcase he'd taken out last night rested on his bed half-full.

_Who'd've guessed ol' Ashy-boy would beat me to growing up? He's already married and has a career!_ he mused, folding a few more shirts to pack. _I, on the other hand, don't even have a girlfriend, let alone any idea what I wanna do the rest of my life._

Not that he had _no _idea what his life had in store. A degree in Pokémon Biology left him with few options beyond Pokémon research, after all – which didn't bother him in the slightest. His passion was working with Pokémon. No, what bothered him was that he didn't have any idea what _kind_ of research he was interested in; after all, there were virtually thousands of facets of Pokémon research in development at this moment, and he couldn't decide which to pursue. Even if he did know, he wasn't sure how he could get into that field.

_Can't exactly knock on a professor's door and just ask him to let me work for him._

Shrugging, he went to the bathroom and began filling up his shaving kit when the phone suddenly rang, startling him from his reverie.

"Hello?"

The video screen popped up and Delia's face appeared.

"Hi Gary! I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time!" She gave the brunette her typical sweet smile, and he reflexively smiled back.

"Not at all, Mrs. Ketchum. What's up?"

"Well, I know you're going to Ash's little Christmas get-together, so I was wondering if you wouldn't mind taking some of my presents for the kids with you?"

He shook his head. "Not at all, Mrs. K." It would actually cost him extra to bring the extra packages, but Ash's mom was one of the few people in the world he'd never say no to. She had always been so sweet to him and his family. "I can come by on my way to the airport in a few days and pick them up."

"Oh, thank you so much! I could have mailed them, but it just feels so impersonal doing that, you know? Besides, they'll be here a few days after Christmas so they can get the rest of their presents then in person, but I wanted the newlyweds to have something from me to open on Christmas morning."

Gary nodded. "You know, it's not too late for you to come. I know Ash would love it!"

"Oh, I'd love to, but I've got some family of my own that I need to go see in Viridian, and they're coming here the day after Christmas with you. Besides, between you and me, I don't want to be the wet blanket old lady at their young, fun, first Christmas!"

"What?!" Gary was genuinely shocked. "Mrs. Ketchum, you know Misty and Ash would die if they heard you say that! We would all love you there!"

The older woman gave her son's rival a smile. "Well thank you, Gary, and I know you mean that, but sometimes my age gives me the advantage of knowing how things will be before they happen."

"Huh?"

"This is a party with six kids in their late teens and early twenties at Christmastime. It's destined to be a…well, an interesting few days, I'm sure. Kids your age find romance and adventure in everything, and I'm getting too old to keep up with everyone's drama." She gave the brunette a wide smile. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you got caught up in something."

Gary gave a half-laugh. "Thanks, but no thanks. If I can get through this vacation without getting in a fistfight with your son I'll consider it a success. I'm not looking for any adventure, and _definitely_ no romance."

She gave him a knowing smirk. "That's when it always happens to you. Just keep an open mind for me, okay? I know your grandfather would love to see you meet a nice girl."

Gary started to blush. "Uh, well, okay, thanks Mrs. Ketchum."

Seeing that she'd embarrassed him, Delia changed subjects. "So you can really come and get these gifts before you leave?"

"Yes ma'am," he answered, relieved. "I'll come by about noon to grab them on the eighteenth."

"Thank you so much. Be safe!"

"Sure will!"

"And remember what I told you!"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Gary gave a polite nod before hanging up.


End file.
